Nicola Fletcher

I’m 100% visual too - I enjoy being outside with a simple telescope, just enjoying observing with no pressure. It’s an opportunity to spend some time with the sounds of the night as well. There’s a small river at the end of the garden that sounds lovely at night - somehow I never seem to hear it during the day. I enjoy finding objects and I normally look at them for quite a while before moving on to my next target. I make long observing lists but rarely get through half of them in a session. Something that has really enhanced my enjoyment of astronomy is sketching. I think sketches are some of the most beautiful ways to capture the objects we observe, and in my opinion, they are just as visually appealing as many astrophotographs. I love the idea of DSO astrophotography and I am in awe of the photos people produce but I’m just not interested in spending the time at the computer processing images. I have started dabbling in widefield astrophotography but I can’t ever see it replacing visual astronomy.

That’s a really great sketch. I think it’s a really good idea to practice from photos - gives us something to do while waiting for the clouds to part too!

If it helps with the views of Mars, I’d certainly be interested in trying it. The photos of the effects of the various filters on daytime objects are really useful - thanks @badhex and @Franklin. I’m not dissatisfied with the views through my refractors by any means- equally I’ve never really got into using filters so this is really helpful!

Gosh yes, the Actual Astronomy podcast. Apologies to Chris and Shane if they ever read this! I absolutely love listening to them and their enthusiasm is getting me thorough the cloudy spell. Not yet, but I’d love to. It’s definitely on the list. The Baader Maxbright would be my choice but I’ll have to let the Astro funds build up again - or ask Santa! Thank you for the recommendation of the linear polarisers- I’ll give those a try. The green filter for low planets sounds good too and I might already have one. I do find Mars very challenging although I never thought I got out on a night of great seeing during the last opposition. To me, it was an over-bright disk mostly.

Just that I’ve been binge listening to the Real Astronomy podcast and I think they mentioned it in two episodes today. I felt like the only kid in the room who hadn’t heard of it and I got curious. I have Celestron coloured filters and I really don’t like them. I’ve had some fantastic unfiltered views of the planets through my FC76 and my Starwave 102mm. I’m sure the 100mm Tak will be excellent too but I just wondered if this was some super duper game changing accessory. I had FOMO!! (Fear of missing out)

Certainly sounds like one of these might be good to try! Baargain before Baader 😂

Welcome and I hope you enjoy SGL!

Thanks - I probably should have just searched the forum for contrast booster - I included Baader in the search and didn’t get any hits. My refractors are all apochromats so I don’t know if this would offer any benefits.

I’ve been listening to the Real Astronomy Podcast (which is brilliant), and they have mentioned several times how much they love the Baader contrast booster. They said it improves the views of the planets and they use it more than any of their other filters. Has anyone used one? What do you think - is it worth buying?

Problem solved 😊 I replaced part 14S supplied with the telescope with part 14 as @Franklin suggested so that the back is now the same as @JeremyS’s. With the Tak 1.25” prism diagonal, my EPs all come to focus. This is what it looks like: For the 2” Baader mirror diagonal, I used the Stellalyra 35mm extender as suggested by @John and it worked like a charm. The 41mm Panoptic focused fine and I didn’t have to pull the eyepiece up out of the diagonal. Both of these options are much cheaper than buying the 71S part in the system chart - and I would have had a long wait to get one. I only had enough time to test the setups before it clouded over but wow! Even just cruising around the south eastern sky with the Panoptic was incredible in less than ideal conditions. I can’t wait to get the DZ out as the nights get darker. I hope this will be useful for future owners of the FC100DZ and I can’t thank you all enough for your help!

I have found that the 3-6mm Nagler, 9mm Nagler and 24mm Panoptic work fine on the 76DCU with the Tak prism diagonal. My initial issue was using an Altair diagonal which didn’t allow me to reach focus. With these EPs anyway, the Tak diagonal is fine and I have no issue with the undercuts. I still don’t know if the 41 Panoptic will work for me (but I’m changing to the Baader 2” diagonal for this).

Thanks for replying @HollyHound - is that the clicklock with the M68 or the M72 thread do you know? Online, it looks like the M72 is best for use with diagonals and the M68 with binoviewers. I really like the idea of using the clicklock with the 2” diagonal. The Stellalyra extender and a Tak part 14 arrived from FLO today so I’ll try to test them out this evening.

It is a truly fabulous looking scope - I’m not surprised you are drooling. I’ve been a major fan of @F15Rules Trinity for ages, and wow look at @Stu’s beauty! Hope you’re not waiting too long @Sunshine. It will be amazing to get such a treasure.

Funny you should ask - I’ve just been watching an Ed Ting video on this topic: He recommends an 8” dob which I’m sure is a great piece of advice. My first telescope was a 127 Maksutov (the Celestron 127SLT) and I absolutely loved it. I had it as my only scope for I think about 7 years. Super portable and fun to use as well as being very light which made me more inclined to use it on cold winter nights!

Yes, it’s really interesting to see how they become more recognisable as Takahashis as time goes on. These videos are great. I enjoyed the explanation of the design of Tak focusers - thanks also @Hans Joakim!

Thanks Dave, I can’t wait to get it all sorted. I love the FC76DCU and have literally dreamt about the views through the 4 inch!

Thank you, and also thanks for the video links! I’ve ordered the extension tube as @John suggested. FLO were concerned about raising up the EP with the parfocal rings so I’ll start with the extension and see how I get on. I’ll report back. Thank you again for all your help 😊

Honestly, I am constantly amazed by how helpful and nice the SGL members are. My significant other couldn't believe how quickly people helped me with this!

I don't know if I am right, but I always think Taks are designed for straight through viewing first off, and they do provide instructions on how to use other setups via the system charts. If I were just to follow the system chart, I should use the part labelled 71S as they show on the chart - but it's not readily available and is more expensive than the other solutions. I'm going to try some of the clever solutions proposed by SGLers on here with FLO's advice also. Hopefully I will find a solution and I will post my findings here when I figure it out!

Good idea - I’ll have a look at that and see if there are any bits I can use off it. It has the smaller focuser that I think is the same as on the DC so I might be able to use it.

Maybe the 41 Pan won’t work out for me. I’ll get the 35mm extender you suggested @John and see if that works. The 1.25 inch Tak diagonal not letting me focus is a surprise though - I didn’t expect to have any problems with it. It is definitely not correct - I can’t focus on Vega either. I wonder if the 35mm extender will allow me to focus the 1.25 setup as well? @JeremyS, do you remember if you bought part 14 separately as it doesn’t come with the DZ?

Yes good point - I see that too.

Thank you both very much - looks like I need to remove the long extender (71L on the system chart) and it should be the same as both of yours. I will wait a while and try it on something other than the moon which is just over a neighbouring house. The 1.25 prism should focus according to your experience. I appreciate your help very much.

No, apologies, this is the Tak 1.25 prism diagonal. It seems neither the 2 inch or 1.25 diagonals focus with the supplied extensions.

Thanks all - I tried the 71L and it’s too long - I can’t quite focus. However, I’ve also tried 71L with all the extenders that came with the scope and none of my 1.25 EPs (I tried a 24 Panoptic, 9mm Nagler and 18mm BST) focus with a 1.25 Tak prism diagonal either - there isn’t enough inward travel on the focuser. Removing the 71L extender doesn’t work either. Do I need 71S or a 35mm extender to use this with a 1.25” setup as well?